Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
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Various aspects of the evolution of human language are discussed in this book.
- It talks about how the ability to gossip was a revolutionary development.
- It explores how humans became capable of believing in “fiction” and how language allows us to express things that don’t exist in the physical world.
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On language acquisition:
- Personally, I found that studying Chinese in a “top-down” approach helps me maintain motivation.
- Simply increasing vocabulary doesn’t give a strong sense of progress.
- However, as I learn grammar, the Chinese language gradually becomes clearer and I can feel my growth.
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Sustaining motivation in the process of expanding vocabulary:
- Increase opportunities to use the language as much as possible.
- Utilize platforms like HelloTalk for online Chinese language conversations.